One Bad Neighbor
by Chicken Broccoli 2013
Summary: AU Basically what might happen if Jerry moved to my neighborhood instead of Charley's. Based on the 2011 version because Colin Farrell is to die for (no pun intended). My character is based on Charley, Stone is Ed/Amy (mostly Ed), and Brii is based on Peter Vincent. M for language, violence/gore, and mild sexual content. Reviews welcome. Don't like, don't read!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was a quiet evening in September. In the tiny little town of Enoch, Utah, where I lived in relative peace and nothing really ever changed. At least, nothing _had _changed—until my neighbors on the right decided to move. From my bedroom window I had a great view of their front yard-not that it was much to look at. I stared dully at the '**For Sale' **sign stuck in the ground, and realized after a minute of zoning out that it now read '**Sold.' **That was nothing short of a miracle, being as they'd been trying to sell for months and their property was basically its own junk yard. Very hazardous. I wondered who'd be crazy—or desperate—enough to buy a place like that….

I stirred as my mom entered the house—she'd gone to get the mail—and went to meet her in the kitchen. "You see the Rivers' finally sold their house?" I asked as she set the mail on the counter.

"Yeah, finally. I heard the new owner is moving in tomorrow. Your dad and I wanted to help them get settled."

"Think it'll be another family? But hopefully without unplanned babies, drugs, and gangsters from the hood…"

She laughed. "Sounds about right. I'm sure whoever it is, they'll be better than the Rivers were. You should get some sleep if you want to help us tomorrow. Plus, you have school. Did you do your-"

"Yes, Mom! Okay! I'll go to bed!" I was not in the mood for a Homework Talk. "Good night." I lay in bed for hours that night, unable to get the new neighbors off my mind. Much as I tried to sleep, I couldn't. The next day would not come fast enough….

I got home late from school the next night—around six o'clock. I kept my eyes on the neighbors' house as I pulled into our driveway. A large black pick-up truck was parked out front; the weeds choking the yard had been mown down, and—the windows were black. The blinds had been removed and something like construction paper covered the panes of glass. It was obvious that no sunlight had any chance of getting through. What kind of family would want to block out the sun to that extent?

"Cam!" I was yanked abruptly from my thoughts as my brother pounded up the driveway. In the light of the setting sun, his face gleamed with sweat. "We've been working for an hour," Conner said as he dragged me across the yard, "Did you come home late on purpose so you wouldn't have to do any work?"

"Shut up, you little shit." I punched him playfully in the arm. "I bet I'll have done _way _more than you by the end of the night!" Before he could respond, Mom stepped between us. "There is not a competition, you two. Conner, go take a shower. Camille, go do some homework. You can meet the new neighbor tomorrow. Maybe."

"Tomorrow?" I repeated as Conner raced inside, already half naked. "Why can't I meet them now? And did you say _neighbor_? As in, just one?"

Mom cast her eyes down at the cracked sidewalk, seemingly contemplating how to respond. "Yes, just one person. He really didn't want our help at all, actually…but I insisted…"

"That is one interesting character." My father came up behind us, putting an arm around my mom. "Says he works nights downtown. The windows are blacked out because he sleeps during the day. I carried a few boxes in, but he didn't want help unpacking." They shared a look. "I think we should keep the kids away for now; there's something about him I don't trust…"

My parents were so completely absorbed in their conversation that they didn't see me cross behind the truck to get a look at the house. Their words had frightened me, but I was now more determined than ever to meet this stranger. Were there any real grounds for my parents' suspicions? The front door was open. I glanced around quickly to make sure no one was watching, then ran as lightly as I could up to the front steps. Gripping each side of the doorframe, I leaned inside.

"Can I help you with something?" Shit! I whipped around to face the speaker, already making a list of excuses in my head—but froze when I saw who it was. He was taller than me, probably in his early thirties. Muscle rippled beneath skin paler than the white tank top he wore. His eyes were a deep, rich brown that might've been beautiful—but the look he was giving me made me shiver.

"I…ah…un…I was just—" He suddenly leaned closer, moving to trap me between the outer wall of the house and himself. It was very obviously a threat. My breath hitched as he spoke again: "You think an open door is an invitation, sweetheart? Think you can just walk in and take whatever you want?"

_Oh, God._ He thought I was a criminal—a thief! There was no one else in sight…e could probably kill me if he wanted to! _Dammit, Camille, say something! Think! _"I-I'm from next door!" I gasped, still not able to catch my breath. "I was looking for the new neighbor, which is…you, I guess?"

"Oh…" His expression changed immediately, the ice in his gaze melting. "Yeah, that's me." He stepped back to give me some space. "Jerry Dandridge."

I smiled—half in welcome, half in relief. "Camille Brook."

"You Anne's kid?"

"Yeah." I paused for a second, feeling guilty for believing my parents' worries so easily. "I'm sorry for, uhhh….sneaking…"

Jerry smiled—somehow his teeth were even whiter than his skin—and shook his head dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I thought you were one of those thugs who seem to like this place."

"Me? God, no. They scare me to death."

"They're a nuisance. Damn kids…"

"CAMILLE ROSE!" I turned to see my mom and dad glowering at me from our yard. "Get over here _now_." Dad stabbed a finger at the ground. I grimaced an the wrath I was about to face.

"Good luck," Jerry said with a smirk as I forced myself to head home. I turned to give him my dirtiest glare, but he disappeared just as the last rays of the setting sun dissolved like water in the sky.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

One of my history teacher's favorite things to do was make us read newspaper articles and review them. It wasn't too bad, really—in the two weeks since Jerry had moved in, the only exciting news I got was from the paper. I flipped through the paper for an interesting article, glancing at headlines without really seeing them. Somewhere in the middle was a story about a woman who'd escaped an attacker who had supposedly tried to _bite_ her. Would anyone be crazy enough to believe that?

"Oh my God." I turned to see my friend Rachel, who sat behind me, staring appalled at the back page. I followed her gaze to a cluster of pictures beneath the headline, '**Twelve Missing in Two Weeks; Police Suspicious of Foul Play.'** According to the report everyone missing lived in or around the Salt Lake County area. Most seemed to be couples or small families—different victims had lived together. Was there a serial killer? A vicious Mafia extermination? I was about to ask Rachel what she knew, but she spoke before I could: "I knew those three. They were the cutest family…" She trailed off, looking at me, and I saw something in her eyes I'd never seen before—fear. "I don't have any idea what's going on, but-" Her voice dropped to a whisper, "I'm scared."

I was really hoping I could kick back and relax when I got home. The whole serial killer scare had left the school in a frenzy, and I was craving escape. Unfortunately, the look on Mom's face when I saw her told this was not to be. "Hey, Mom." I was quick to give her a hug—anything to make her feel better than she was apparently feeling. "You look…upset. Is something wrong?"

" Not wrong, honey. Just…odd." She broke the hug, crossed her arms and pursed her lips. It was evident that whatever was bothering her had been doing so for some time. I folded my arms, too, and faced her, waiting calmly for an explanation. At last she conceded: "Stone Rogers has been calling all day. Our answering machine is full-"

"WHAT!" I couldn't keep myself from interrupting. Stone and I hadn't talked for over a year. We had been friends since childhood—good friends. As we grew older I'd started to like him as more than a friend, and I thought he liked me the same way…then out-of-the-blue he left me for someone else. Since then we'd pretty much completely lost contact, becoming estranged. I was still mad at him deep down.

"Why…what…what the hell does he want?" My mind was reeling.

"He said he needs to talk to you…"

"Wait—you _answered the phone?_" How could she? She knew how I felt about him!

"There was nothing else I could do! He _would not _stop calling. I was going to tell him to leave you alone, but…." Her brow furrowed as she gave me that 'caring, concerned mother' look. "He sounded…terrified. He was in a panic, and kept saying it was a matter of life and death." I leaned against the counter, still trying to process Stone's sudden strange behavior. Silence hung like a dark cloud between us for what felt like hours…But in reality it took me only a minute to reach a decision.

"There is _no way _I'm calling him back. I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him!" Mom didn't seem satisfied with that. She put her hands on my shoulders and looked me square in the eye. "I know you had a falling-out, honey. But of all the things Stone is, I've never known him to be false. He really cares about you, and this may be a crazy situation. But I don't think he made it up."

I gently shook free of her grip, then strode much less gently toward my room. Yet as much as I wanted to dismiss the incident, there was one question that niggled at me. I turned back reluctantly to voice it: "Life and death…what did he mean by that?"

Mom shrugged. "He said it was something about the new neighbor."


	3. Chapter 3

Please please please review if you read! I don't mean to be pushy I just really want feedback. Also, hope you enjoy this. It'll get exciting, I promise!

Chapter 3

Stone had been calling nonstop since yesterday. I sat brooding on the front stoop, trying my hardest not to throw my phone into the street and just run the damn thing over. It rang at least once every five minutes, though I declined the call every time. He had texted me several times with things like, "You are in danger!" and "Why won't you answer me?"; I deleted each message as soon as I got it. But after twenty straight hours of constant harassment, I decided I would answer the next time he called—and give. Him. Hell.

"Sorry, do you have a minute?" I looked up to see one of my neighbors from the house on the left.

"Sure, Fallon. What's up?"

"Well…" She anxiously twirled a strand of blonde hair around a finger. "I was just wondering if you've seen my brother, Harlan."

"I saw him when he was going around selling cookies yesterday."

"Oh no…"

"Fallon?" My stomach twisted with dread at the expression on her face.

"That's the last time I saw him, too." She swallowed hard, her large blue eyes brimming with tears. "He-he didn't come home last night…"

I jumped like a spring as—right on cue—my phone buzzed in my lap. Giving Fallon an apologetic look, I said, "Sorry, I really have to take this. I'll ask around, okay? We'll find him." She did her best to look hopeful. "Okay. Thanks, Cam." She waved halfheartedly, and crossed the street to continue her search for Harlan. It took every ounce of willpower I had to press the **'talk' **button. "Camille? Oh, thank God!" Stone's familiar voice came across the line the second I answered—maybe even the second before. "I was worried you would never pick up…oh man, it's a miracle you're even still ali—"

"STONE. The only reason I 'picked up' was to tell you to _leave me alone_!" I took a deep, calming breath, eating up the stunned silence at his end of the line.

"Look, I'm really sorry for what happened last year…I shouldn't have left you like I did…"

I snorted. "You can say that again. Unless you have something to say that's worth hearing, I'm going to help my neighbor find her brother."

"Your neighbor's brother is _missing?_ Oh my God, this is even worse than I thought it was…" I stood and stretched, intentionally oblivious to whatever insane thing Stone kept rambling about. So Harlan hadn't come home last night. The logical place to look for him was the house he would've gone to after mine. "Camille? Did you hang up on me? Oh, dear God…this might've been my only chance—"

I rolled my eyes. "No. I'm still here. You wanna tell me what the hell is going on? Because you are acting like a madman, and it's freaking me out…"

"Your neighbor, Dandridge—"

"Oh, him." I smirked, leaning on the fence separating Jerry's property from mine. "I'm going to his house right now, actually." The only reason I was going over there, in all honesty, was to get on Stone's nerve. I know it was childish, but give me a break.

"WHAT!" He reminded of a howler monkey—except I didn't hate howler monkeys. "Camille, you can't do that! He's dangerous—"

I crossed behind Jerry's truck into his yard. "Uh-huh. Dangerously attractive, maybe."

"No no, you don't understand what I'm saying!" At that moment, all my feelings against Stone—bitterness, sorrow, anger, regret—reached boiling point. "I've never understood you," I spat. "I don't understand why you strung me along and then abandoned me. I don't understand why you call a year later and just expect me to forgive you. I…I can't stand this! For the last time, LEAVE ME ALONE!" I was already crying bitterly before I finished speaking. I had loved Stone so much. I really had.

I leaned against the truck, doing my best to focus on the cool touch of the metal instead of the sea of emotions threatening to burst right through me. The moon had risen over the mountains before Stone spoke again. "I don't mean just a _little _dangerous. I mean evil, ruthless…Jerry is a killer."

"Liar!"

"No, it's true! If you let me come over, I'll explain—"

I hung up before he could say more. Stone wasn't just a jerk—he was _crazy_. For all he knew, Jerry was a perfectly normal guy with a few odd habits. There was nothing to worry about…All the same, it was late; the sky was dark and the street unnervingly quiet. Why had I come here at this hour? Why hadn't I stayed home? What would Jerry do if he found me snooping around like this? I had slumped to the ground after my quarrel with Stone, but now I pushed to my feet, shoving my phone in my pocket.

_Don't panic. Don't panic. _I hurried toward the walk, keeping my eye on the comforting glow of the porch light by my front door. _Chink. _Something metallic moved into the moonlight, kicked by me in my haste to get home. I wouldn't have paid any attention to it, but the small silvery object was somehow familiar. I knelt down to get a closer look. It was a dog tag, dangling from a broken chain. I assumed it was Jerry's, since I found it on his property. I picked it up, intending to return it—as the little tag shifted in the moonlight, I noticed two small letters engraved on the back. H.R. Those most definitely weren't Jerry's initials. So whose…my breath caught in my throat as the answer came to me. H.R.: Harlan Rowsel. Fallon's brother had obviously been here. But how had he lost his necklace?

_Dangerous._ Stone's words began flashing through my mind. "No," I whispered. Jerry couldn't be responsible for Harlan's disappearance. Maybe the chain had just snapped and neither of them had noticed. Maybe…My eyes focused on something gleaming a few feet farther up the driveway. I crawled on hands and knees toward the object, hugging shadows to avoid being seen; all thoughts of running home had fled. "God…" It was part of the broken chain.

_Evil. _Links of the chain were scattered ahead of me, leading to the backyard. What choice did I have but to follow them?

_Ruthless. _The metal was soon replaced by crumbs—presumably from the cookies Harlan had been selling. The trail ended abruptly where the cement met the lawn. My heart pounded frantically against my ribcage as I searched for another clue. "Come on, come on…." I had come too far to give up now! There had to be something!

To my left were concrete steps leading up to a side door. It wasn't the steps themselves that had caught my attention; strange discolorations on the cement demanded a closer look. The stains looked like droplets up close. They were a dull, reddish brown color and smelled very faintly metallic. Blood. It was Harlan's blood.

"Killer!" Stone was right. Stone was right! I stared in dumbfounded horror at the drops for a long time, unable to register and accept everything I'd discovered. Was my family in danger? How could I protect them? How could I find the words to tell Fallon her brother was dead? I had to get home NOW.

Just as I stood to make a run for it, I heard a click—the opening of the front door. "Shit, shit, shit!" I scurried back into the shadows and pressed myself against the house. Jerry must be going to work. How could I have been so stupid as to forget he worked nights? His footsteps were barely audible as he came down the walk; I held my breath for fear he would hear as he got closer. He whistled softly, seemingly at ease. He had no idea I was here.

Suddenly, everything went silent. No whistling, no walking. Nothing. What was going on? Trembling, I moved so I could see. Jerry stood motionless, his skin practically glowing in the light of the moon. He breathed in deeply, scanning the area around him like he was searching for something. Searching for….me? But there was no way he could know…

His hand reached out, caressing the hard outer shell of the truck in the exact place I'd leaned against it earlier. Chills ran in a waterfall down my spine. _He knew. _I was as good as dead! I closed my eyes and mouthed every prayer I could think of, knowing that at any second he would come for me. But seconds dragged on and no one came. I started as the truck's engine growled to life, and turned to see Jerry driving away.

As soon as he was out of sight I bolted for home. The house was quiet, peaceful. As if nothing in the world was wrong. I huddled in a cocoon of blankets in my bed, closing my eyes and trying to forget my horrific night. But sleep never came.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys, it's me again! Hope you're lovin the story, cuz honestly I really am. Don't wanna be a bitch about things but I'm begging you, PLEASE REVIEW for my sake! Enjoy

Chapter 4

It was around midday. Sunshine smiled warmly into my living room, the sky a shade of blue that could best be described as 'happy.' Though it was impossible to feel gloomy on a day like today, I was anxious. Stone had promised to come over when I'd called two nights ago. I had told him what I'd discovered about Jerry, and (grudgingly) admitted I was willing to hear what Stone had to say. Now I paced back and forth across the carpet, quickly losing what little patience I had as I waited for him to arrive.

Finally—finally!—there was a knock at the door. We went to my room and locked the door; Stone had insisted we go somewhere 'private' because what he had to tell me was 'top secret.' "Alright." I folded my arms across my chest and stared him down, making it clear he was still far from welcome here. "I found out that my neighbor is indeed dangerous—he might even be a killer. But I don't see what either of us can do, and I really can't imagine what you know that I don't. This is your chance, so spit it out."

"You mean—just…just say it? I don't know…I think this might be pretty shoc—"

"JUST! SAY IT!"

"Okay, okay." Stone sat on the edge of my bed, ignoring the indignant glare I gave him. "I really hate to be the one to tell you this, but here goes…" He took a deep breath. "Jerry is a vampire." I looked at Stone blankly for a moment, waiting for him to bust up laughing and say, "Just kidding!" But he just stared at me with this earnest, desperate look in his steely-grey eyes.

"Umm…vampire, did you say? That's a pretty pathetic joke, Stone, even for you."

"It's not a joke! Remember Dakota Slim form fifth grade?"

"Yeah…"

"He and I have been watching that monster ever since he moved in. We were suspicious 'cause of the blacked out windows, and—if you haven't noticed—the quickly rising body count. Dandridge never eats. He avoids sunlight and sleeps during the day. He doesn't show up in photographs or on fil—"

"Wait wait wait." I held up a hand. "Don't tell me you've been videotaping and taking pictures of him."

Stone leaped up from the bed, apparently overcome with….ahhh…..passion. "That's exactly what we've been doing! He's not human, Camille! You gotta believe me! Hell, he could turn this whole town if—"

"Stone."

He marched to my window and looked out. "Dakota disappeared about a week ago. I think—" He paused, clenching his fists in anger, "I think Jerry got him…"

"Stone…"

"But it's okay, 'cause now I have you!" He turned to smile at me, his face full of hope. "Now you know the truth. So all we have to do now is stake him in his lair tonight. Or maybe during the day, when he's asleep. Right through the heart—POW!"

"STONE!" My raised voice was enough to get his attention. I bit my lip as I thought how best to phrase my next words. "Look, I know Jerry's not the typical neighbor…but I just…I can't believe you. I'm sorry."

"What? But—"

"Oh, come on!" Whatever patience I had was now officially gone. "Do you really expect me to believe such a load of shit? Do you think I'm going to believe the guy next door is a _vampire _because you _say _you have all this evidence against him? I'm shocked you would even expect me to trust YOU, of all people. This isn't a fucking fairy tale, Stone!"

"I KNOW IT'S NOT!" He was yelling right back at me now. "I'm trying to protect you! Let go of the past already!" _Protect you._ My anger deflated instantly. There was a glimpse of the Stone I had known. Devoted and kind and brave….someone whom I'd trust with my life. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled…" A long, deafening silence filled the room. Finally I padded to the far wall and opened the door. "I…I think you should go…"

"Sure. Whatever." His feet seemed weighted as he slumped toward the door. Neither of us said another word until we stood on the front stoop, coated in glorious sunlight that couldn't warm us. "Believe what you want…" Stone said, his eyes cast down, "But I _am _going to stake him tonight, even if I have to do it alone." What was I supposed to say to that?

"Uhhh…..good luck with that."

"Oh, Cam!" He turned and wrapped his arms around me before I could stop him. "At least where a cross, okay? For me?" I returned the hug, surprised at how much I had missed those arms holding me.

"Sure. And I really did mean it when I said 'good luck.'"

"I know you did." I watched the way he'd gone long after he'd disappeared down the sidewalk. I had no idea that would be the last time I'd see him alive.


	5. Chapter 5

This chapter is from Stone's point of view. This is where the pace finally picks up a bit! Sorry if it's been slow…

Chapter 5

Dusk was gathering. It was time to prepare. Stone had a small duffel bag sitting open on his bed. In it he began to place everything he'd need for a good vampire-slaying: dozens of hand carved stakes; as many crosses as he'd been able to find; several cloves of garlic; a small vial of Holy Water; and even a portable, battery-powered tanning lamp (to mimic sunlight). He was ready.

He sneaked out of his house just as the streetlights began to flicker on. He stopped in front of Camille's place, contemplating whether to ask her one last time to come with him. But if he didn't attack Dandridge now, he might never have another chance…

The side door was his best bet. Stone picked the lock easily—he'd been practicing all week—and slipped inside. It felt like he'd been swallowed by some hideous beast. The darkness was impossibly stifling, even with a few dim lamps attempting to light the space. Stone pulled out a stake and grabbed the cross around his neck, gripping both until his knuckles were white. He took a step forward. Then another. Each was placed with extreme caution as he hunted the hunter. Stone figured as long as he had light—even the poor glow of the lamps—he had a good chance of succeeding. That was when the wind began to howl outside, and his only source of light started to flicker. "Son of a bitch…" He would have no chance of fighting a vampire in the dark! He whipped a flashlight from his pocket and switched it on, following the shaky beam from room to room.

Where was the damn leech? Stone was scanning what appeared to be the study when something on a large desk caught his eye. The desk was littered with all sorts of paper—poems, sketches, newspaper clippings—but what had hooked his attention was right on top. It was a photograph of a girl. "Cam?" Stone jumped nearly a foot off the ground as the branches of a tree scraped against a nearby window. He returned to studying the picture. He didn't want it to be true, to be the girl he was fighting so hard to protect, but the wavy red hair and stony-blue eyes were unmistakable.

He hissed in annoyance when the branches scratched at the glass again—then realized that the property didn't have any trees. "Shit!" Stone whirled around, the stake in one hand and the photo in the other. There was the bloodsucker himself, leaning casually against the wall by the window. "It's time for you to die," Stone declared, hoping to God he sounded a lot braver than he felt.

"Oh really?" Dandridge raised an eyebrow. "Who's going to kill me? _You?" _

"Damn right." Stone brandished the stake and took a step forward. "You know these things are lethal to you."

"Don't forget—I'm armed too." Jerry grinned, revealing razor-sharp fangs dripping with venom. He hardly looked human now—his eyes had become as red as the blood he drank; his fingernails were now vicious claws. He was terrifying! Stone wondered how he'd got the idea in his head that he could kill such a hellish creature….but he had to try. For the girl next door, he had to try.

"Look what you found." Jerry indicated the photo in Stone's hand with a sneer. "She's so pretty, isn't she? My little obsession."

"You stay away from her!"

"Don't tell me _she's _what you're fighting for." The look on the boy's face told Jerry everything he needed to know. He sauntered closer, relishing the scent of fear that rolled off of Stone in waves. It was his turn now. "It's really pathetic how much you worry about her. She doesn't care whether you live or die—or end up somewhere in between."

"Sh-Shut up!" Stone stumbled back as the vampire closed in. "Cam's not like that! You don't know her—"

"And _you_ do?"

"I…she…" Stone was shaking so badly that he doubted he could stab properly. The stake was no good to him now. "I know enough to know I want to keep her safe—FUCK!" He had just hit a wall, dropping the stake in the process. He was cornered. Dandridge smiled.

"You bit off more than you can chew."

The crucifix Stone wore was his only hope. "Your secret doesn't die with me," he snarled, tugging until the chain snapped and holding it out like a shield. "I told Camille what you are. You've been made!"

"You think anyone's actually gonna believe you?" The question hit its mark like a bullet to the head. The only other person who believed Dandridge was a vampire was dead. "No?" Jerry prompted when Stone said nothing. "That's what I thought. Give up, kid. This fight was over before it began." The cross dropped to the ground with a small 'plink.'

"Alright, you can have me….." Stone held up his hands in surrender. "Just please, please…leave Cam alo—" He cut off abruptly as a fist rammed into his chest, slamming him against the wall. There were several sickening cracks, followed by sudden, hideous agony—at least three of his ribs were broken. The combination of impact and pain left Stone in a near-unconscious daze. He was vaguely aware of the vampire leaning over him, of bone-white fingers turning his head to expose his neck. And of a voice.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to turn you. It's a gift, really. But I want you to know that I have special plans for your girl. She. Is. Mine. You couldn't do anything to save her. How much does that hurt?" Stone didn't get a chance to reply. The last thing he felt was a sharp, tingling fire as fangs sank deep into his neck. Then darkness took over.

This is probably my favorite chapter so far. Love love love doing Stone's point of view. Tell me in the reviews if you want to see more from his POV?


	6. Chapter 6

Hi again! So so so sorry it's taken me so long to update. I've been supremely busy….anyway, here you go. This chapter is from Camille's point of view again. In case you wonder why Cam's friends are the way they are, it's an inside story. I am one of a group of three friends, and we call each other the werewolf, the android, and the vampire.

Chapter 6

I lay on my bed, staring unseeing at the ceiling. I had just told two of my close friends about Stone and my (possibly) undead neighbor. They weren't at all surprised—in fact, they'd recently had supernatural troubles of their own. Bliss had discovered she was an android—part human, part robot. Very high level of thinking, very low emotional understanding; still a good friend. On the outside she looked almost completely human. However, on her pulse points—wrists and neck—a close observer would see she had thin blue wires instead of veins.

The closest thing Jewel could be compared to was a werewolf. She could transform fully or halfway into a wolf, but she could do it at will. She had all the good qualities of a dog: courage, loyalty, devotion. The problem was not dealing with the supernatural, but _how _to deal with it…

We all looked up in shock when the door burst open. "Amanda, get your friends out of this very house this instant!" Connor shouted as he stormed into my room, We've got somebody coming over for dinner in two hours and Mom needs help cleaning up, so give your friends the boot and help us get ready!" Three pairs of eyes stared blankly at him as he stood there, his face red from the fury of his words. At least a minute passed. "Good day." Connor turned on his heels and left, apparently satisfied that he'd got his point across.

"Promise to call us if you learn anything about your neighbor?" Jewel implored as she and Bliss prepared to leave.

"Promise." We embraced in our trademark Three-Way hug, and reluctantly parted ways. Though the amount of work was grueling (our house was long overdue for a proper cleaning), the next two hours went by in a wink. We finished just as the sun fell behind the mountains. "Isn't this kind of an odd time for dinner?" I couldn't help but wonder; it was nearly eight o'clock. My dad shrugged.

"This was the only time our guest had free."

I raised an eyebrow. The _only time?_ Who is our guest anyway? You guys never told me…"

"Jerry," Connor informed me without looking up from setting the table.

"Wh-What?" I froze in the middle of the kitchen, looking from my brother to my parents and back again. "Mom! Dad! You're kidding!"

"Honey." My mom gave me a scolding look as she set fresh-baked lasagna on the counter. "I know you're suspicious; we all were at first. But first impressions can be deceiving. Your father and I agree he deserves a second chance." I gaped at her for a solid minute.

"Uhhh…I have an objection—"

A knock at the door interrupted me. "Overruled," Father declared, "Now go answer the door."

"What? Why me? I don't want to—"

"Answer. The. Door." Settling into furious silence, I dragged myself to the landing. Then, acknowledging my teenage hormones, I stood glaring obstinately at the door.

"CAMILLE." My mother poked her head out of the kitchen. "Don't make him wait!" I wanted to resist, but no one can fight against my mom's Look of Death. I opened the door just a crack. There he stood, wearing an ink-black T-shirt and similarly dark pants. God…I'd forgotten how attractive he was…

"Hey, Cam." He smiled when he saw me. I swallowed hard, trying to speak through a mix of fear and lust.

"H-Hey…"

"So, are you going to invite me in?" Invite him in? Yes! No! Absolutely not. I shook my head. "Really?" He raised his eyebrows, apparently as astounded at my boldness as I was. "That's…unfortunate…" Just as I was about to shut the door, Mom called down again:

"Camille, why are you stalling? Dinner's hot. Let him in." Before the last words had left her mouth, Jerry shoved inside, knocking me back against the stairs leading up from the landing. For a moment we just stared at each other, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. He was angry. I couldn't be sure whether he was a vampire or not, but either way making him mad had been a stupid idea….

Suddenly Conner pounded down the stairs. "Jeez, Cam!" He punched me in the shoulder, seemingly oblivious to the fact that I was sprawled powerless over the steps, engaged in a staring contest with a very powerful man. "I'm hungry! What are you guys doing? _I need to eat._" He grabbed my hand and yanked me to my feet. Within a minute the five of us were seated in the dining room. My brother dug in with all the zealousness of a pack of starving wolves; my parents made polite conversation with our guest. Jerry responded, but kept his eyes locked on me. We had assumed our staring contest once more.

"Are you feeling sick, honey?" Mom patted my hand, looking concerned. "You haven't touched your food."

"Neither has Jerry," I said innocently. "Is something wrong with the food?"

He gritted his teeth. "Not at all. If you didn't notice, I was having a conversation. Your parents are fascinating people." If the tension between us wasn't obvious before, it certainly was now. Everyone began to eat amid an uneasy silence. Jerry didn't seem to have any problem with eating, as I'd assumed a vampire would…there was still the possibility that Stone had been wrong…but if the vampire was _not _a vampire, then where was his would-be staker?

Mother was making a valiant effort to lighten the mood, doing her best to get all of us involved in small talk. "So, do you like your new neighbors?"

"Most of them."

"You're settling in all right?"

"For the most part."

"How can I get big muscles like yours?" Conner butted in, earning a huge eye-rolling from me. His question got an amused laugh from everyone else, though.

"Uhhhh….work. Lots of work," Jerry answered, sharing a knowing smile with my parents. He was winning my whole family over, dammit! Conner was practically bouncing out of his chair.

"Work? That's it? I can do that! This rocks!" Rock? _Stone. _

"Speaking of rocks," I interrupted, "I haven't seen Stone around lately. Have you?"

Conner shrugged. "Nah. I thought you didn't like him."

"So did I," Father added. "But either way, I haven't seen him."

"Me either," Mom expressed. "Sorry, honey…"

"What about you, Jerry?" God, how I longed to bust him. He narrowed his eyes.

"No. I don't remember ever hearing the name."

"Oh, really?" What a liar! "The last time _I _saw him," I growled, foolishly throwing all caution to the wind, "He was at _your _house. And now he's missing. Coincidence?"

"Camille Rose!" Mom stared at me in stunned horror. "How dare you make an accusation like that? I'm so sorry, Jerry…I don't know what's gotten into her…" Dad stood and moved to clear plates.

"You know what? It looks like everybody's done. Laurie, why don't you and I clean up. And kids, you can…ahhh…"

"Show him around!" Mother finished with a noticeably forced cheerfulness. She got to her feet, pulling me up with her (Conner needed no help since he was already bouncing off the walls). "It's a family tradition to show guests our home. It makes them feel more welcome, at least in my opinion. Hear that, young lady?" She was now solely addressing me, "Make him feel _welcome._ I don't know why you're being so rude but I _will not _allow it. Now go."

I waited fuming while Conner showed off his room. I really didn't understand Mom's love of showing guests around our house—and from his expression, Jerry didn't either. Conner was exhibiting his bullet necklace like it was the coolest shit around. Sure, bullets weren't interesting….but what about crosses? "Show him your cross, bro," I suggested, trying not to sound suspicious.

"Oh no, he was just finishing up," Jerry stated before Conner could reply, "Besides, I'm…not religious…Your turn." I let him into my room quickly—it wasn't like I _wanted _him in there; it just gave me the chance to confront him alone. Apparently having similar ideas, he closed and locked the door behind him. I snorted.

"That's not going to keep me from getting out."

"Of course not—but it'll keep everyone else from getting in."

I took a deep breath. Squared my shoulders. This was the moment of truth… "I know what you are."

Jerry smirked, leaning back against the wall. "Do you. Care to tell me?" Why was he so calm? Surely exposing him would give me the upper hand….wouldn't it? I tried to sound confident as I snarled out a reply:

"Vampire."

For a while he just stood there, watching. Whatever confidence I had waned dramatically as I waited. Finally, a smile touched his lips, followed by a low chuckle. "Smart girl. I honestly thought no one would believe that stupid-ass kid."

"D-Don't talk about him like that!" I stepped right up to him. "I'll tell my parents about you—I'll tell everyone! If Stone got me to believe him, I can get others to believe m—"

In a flash he had a hand around my neck. "I don't think that's a very good idea." I clawed desperately at his fingers (all of them like iron), gasping for air. "I don't mind that you know my little secret, since you were always part of the plan. But unless we can find a more private place to discuss things, I suggest you keep your voice down." He loosened his grip just enough for me to breathe, but still held me close, putting his other hand on the small of my back. "Now. This is my warning to you. I'm going to give you a choice. There's no need for your parents or your brother to die—they're really quite pleasant neighbors. But if you were to breathe a word about me to anyone, well…..accidents can happen."

"No!" My voice was barely a whisper. It was as if, when he'd nearly strangled me, he'd damaged my voice box so I could hardly make a sound. "I-I won't tell anybody…Jerry, please…."

"Good girl," He purred, smoothing a stray lock of hair behind my ear. "That's a start. But really, it would be better for everyone if you could forget about me altogether…"

What? My mouth dropped open in dismay. "I could never forget about you…"

"At least stop being so damn nosy."

"O-Okay. I'm sorry."

"Good." He let me go and I stumbled back, dazed and terrified. I looked on as he walked over and opened my door. Just before he left the room, Jerry gave me a smug little smile—just enough for me to see a vicious pair of pearly-white fangs.


	7. Chapter 7

~ Chapter 7 ~

This is kind of just a filler chapter…sorry, guys….

But at least I'm updating, right? Sorry I'm so slow…

Two days had passed since my encounter with Jerry. Two days since my suspicions about my neighbor were confirmed, and he had dropped his first official threat. Nearly half my neighborhood had fallen prey to him now! But I had not spoken a word to anyone, so my family was still safe. That had to count for something, right? Of course, my entire family loved him—no one had a clue! I sat in the branches of the Mulberry tree in our front yard, despairing over how alone I was.

"_Ding ding ding. Good morning…." _I nearly fell out of the tree as my phone chipper ringtone came on. I picked up after the first chime. "Hello?"

"Cam?" It was Jewel.

"Camille, how are you?" Bliss was there too: it was a three-way call! I smiled at the sound of my friends' voices. I wasn't so alone after all. We engaged in normal conversation for a short time, casually trying to avoid the topic of demonic blood-sucking killers. It was a welcome distraction, but we could only beat around the bush for so long. Eventually I had to tell them the truth.

"He really is a vampire, guys. He told me himself."

Gasps emitted from both ends of the line. "Have you told anyone else?" Jewel demanded.

"He threatened to hurt my family if I did!"

"You said half your neighborhood is gone, though. The only option we have is to kill him!"

"Stone already tried," I muttered, my heart twisting painfully at the mention of his name.

"But he tried _alone_, right?" Jewel interjected, not to be talked out of her decision. "And we'll be together. Can Bliss and I come over on Friday?"

"Friday. Sure. See you then." I hung up and looked over at Jerry's house, bathed in the colors of fire by the setting sun. Sure, three people were better and stronger than one. But this was a vampire—he alone was probably better than five fully grown men! Jewel, Bliss, and I had a bigger chance at success than most would. But would it be enough?


	8. Chapter 8

Hi guys, me again. Well I think my story has been a success so far, at least for a newbie like me. Thank you all so much for reading! This chapter is from Stone's POV again—yayyyy! Also, a little from Jerry's POV, just cuz I wanna try it out. So, here we go!

~ Chapter 8 ~

Dirt. He was lying on a bed of dirt. Roused by the smell and feel of the earth beneath him, Stone opened his eyes blearily. He was underground—the floorboards of a house stood high above his head. The strong scent of soil only got stronger as he became more alert.

"Morning." Stone sprang to his feet in half a second, simultaneously turning to face the speaker. In jeans and a grey T-shirt stood Jerry, regarding him with a look of mild amusement. One look at him and Stone remembered his stake attempt: the wind, the photograph, the sharp sting of fangs in his neck.

"You…you…"

"Turned you? Yeah. Told you I would." For a moment Jerry appraised him, like an inventor looking over his newest creation. "It really suits you. So….do you still hate me?"

Stone considered for a minute. This should have felt like the ultimate defeat, he told himself. Being turned into a vampire and made to serve your worst enemy for the rest of eternity. And yet…He could see every speck of dirt on the ground. Every single little grain in the planks of wood above his head. His sense of smell had increased tenfold, as had his hearing. Along with the low burn of venom, he felt the strength of ten men pumping through his veins! There was only one answer Stone could give. "No, I don't hate you. This feels….incredible."

The vampire smirked, like he'd known what Stone was going to say. "It does, doesn't it. So much better than being human. Except for one thing…" Jerry made a point of licking a drop of blood off his fingers; he'd obviously fed recently. "Thirsty?" Suddenly Stone felt it: an agonizing ache in his throat, a burning worse than anything he'd ever felt before. Thirst. He shuddered a bit, for he knew that only one thing could quench it.

"God, I've never been so thirsty—in life or in death! Can I have a drink?"

"Get one for yourself."

"What?" Stone was appalled. "But—I'm Newborn! I don't know a thing about hunting—"

"It's instinctual," Jerry interrupted, rolling his eyes. "You'll figure it out in no time. Speaking of hunting, I have a specific target in mind for you."

"Who?" Stone demanded, his fangs aching with bloodlust for the upcoming hunt. Jerry turned and headed toward a staircase, beckoning for Stone to follow him. The newborn vampire did so without hesitation. The stairs led up to the living (nonliving?) room on the main floor of Jerry's house.

Jerry explained his plan as the two made for the front door: "I think our little princess is still sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. I warned her not to, but she's terrible at doing what people tell her to, isn't she?"

Stone laughed bitterly. "The hell she is."

"Well." Jerry opened the door a crack and leaned out, checking to make sure the sun had completely set. "A demonstration of our true power is in order. She needs to know that I'm a man of my word."

Stone nodded eagerly, hanging on to his Master's every word. "So, what do you want me to do?"

"Her brother is playing in their front yard. Would you like to turn him for me?"

"My pleasure." With a ravenous grin Stone rushed outside, melting easily into the thickening shadows of the night.

(Jerry's POV)

Dusk had fallen on the day after Stone's first hunt. There was a soft, warm breeze blowing and the air was sweet. Jerry enjoyed the beautiful evening as he leaned against his truck, taking a break from working on the engine. Even a vampire could feel some degree of peace on a night like this…

"Jerry!" His eyes snapped open at the sound of her voice. _Camille._ Simultaneously a thorn in his side and his greatest desire. What _was _he going to do with her? She bounded over from her yard to his, reaching him in seconds.

"Evening, Cam," He said pleasantly. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Oh, drop the act!" She snarled, her little face contorting into an expression of rage. "You know what I want."

"I'm sure I don't. Please enlighten me." He shifted slightly, smirking as her eyes followed his movement. It was so obvious! Beneath her hatred and fear, she was—at least to some degree—attracted to him. What an infuriating little creature. "Well, Cam?"

"I—I want my brother back!"

He feigned surprise. "Your brother? What do you mean?"

"I came home from work last night. I thought he was in bed. But no—he's gone!" Her eyes widened in panic. "I know you did something to him. I know you did!"

Jerry just smiled, turning back to work on his truck again. But the girl was more determined than usual. She ran forward and shoved herself between him and his work. _Bad move. _She was now trapped. "Tell me what you did to him!"

"_I_ didn't do anything to him. Not personally." His words caused her to falter for a moment. She looked like she was going to cry. "Don't worry, sweetheart. You'll see him again. I promise."

"You…You!" She pounded both fists against his chest in a sudden burst of fury. "I'll kill you!"

In one smooth move he caught both her hands in one of his; in another he put a hand on the back of her neck, pulling her closer so she had to look into his eyes. "Not if I kill you first." She stood frozen for a moment, staring at him in terror. Her fear-scent spiked deliciously. _Finally._ "Now you understand, don't you," He whispered. "You finally realize how powerful I am. How unfortunate that it took the death of your own brother to open your eyes…"

Jerry forced her back against his truck, and she gasped in pain. "This is your final warning, Camille. Do not _ever_ defy me again. The consequences will be unimaginable if you do. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes…"

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, I understand! Let me go!" He did so, and she sprinted away as fast as her legs could carry her.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Hey guys, it's me! I can't apologize enough for neglecting to update for so long. I'm sorry….. but anyway. Here it is: chapter 9! Please, please, please review!

"I'm sorry about your brother," Jewel murmured, putting an arm around me. Bliss stood awkwardly to the side, unsure of how to deal with the excess of human emotion. I said nothing, my head low. Tear after tear dripped sluggishly off my lashes. When I didn't speak, Jewel continued: "His victims will change back if you kill him, right? So maybe if we killed Jerry—"

"We can't kill him!" I hadn't meant to yell, but I couldn't hold my terror in any longer. "Don't you see? The whole reason he killed my brother was to demonstrate his power. The chances we have against him are nonexistent! Do you hear me?" "What if we had a vampire expert on our side?" Bliss inquired, speaking for the first time since she'd arrived at my house. Jewel and I gazed at her in confusion. In response to our puzzled looks, she produced a twice-folded flyer out of her pocket. I unfolded it and glanced it over, Jewel reading over my shoulder. It was an advertisement for a (so-called) magician/vampire slayer named Brianna Aragin. I raised my eyebrows skeptically.

Bliss sighed. "Look, I'm aware that it's a long shot, and she's probably a fake anyway. But do we have any other choice?" She pushed her cell phone into my hands. "Here, call her. Don't use your phone in case Jerry's monitoring it."

I blinked gratefully, and proceeded to dial the number with shaking fingers. I really didn't want to do this, but Bliss was right: we were out of options.

"Hello?" Someone picked up after the first ring. I gave my friends a thumbs-up.

"Hi, may I speak to Brianna Aragin?"

"You're speaking to her."

That left me speechless for a moment. "What? Don't you…um, have a receptionist or something?"

She scoffed. "I'm eighteen years old. Of course I don't."

"You're eighteen, and have a business as a _vampire slayer._"

"Who are you to judge, lady? It's a job. Who are you anyway?"

"My name is Camille Bishop, and I need you to help me kill a vampire." Way to break it to her, Cam. Smooth.

The silence that followed my statement was so long that I feared she'd hung up. Great, just great! I was about to break the bad news to my friends when she spoke again: "Alright, I'll do it. Where and when do you want to meet?"

"Seriously? You'll help us?"

"Sure."

"Yes!" Bliss and Jewel leaped back, bewildered, as I literally jumped for joy. "My house in one hour." I gave her the address and ended the call. I turned to my friends with the first smile I'd smiled in days. "Guys, we've got ourselves a vampire killer."

Briana arrived a little more than an hour later, in a sleek Mustang that was the most absurdly bright yellow color I'd ever seen. "Hey, guys," she said when she saw us, all bubbly and cheery like we weren't in extreme danger or about to do something extremely dangerous. With shoulder-length black hair, that flashy car, and an outfit of all purple, she was certainly a stand-out. Not necessarily a bad one, though…

Jewel and Bliss introduced themselves while Briana pulled a pink-checkered backpack out of her trunk. "Vampire-slaying stuff," she offered as an explanation.

"Nice. Very nice." I shifted my weight uneasily; time was moving quickly. The sooner we got down to business, the better. Thankfully the other three shared my sentiments. The four of us huddled close beneath the Mulberry tree and got started, me taking the lead as I told Briana the whole story. We held nothing back—my friends went so far as to tell her that neither of them was human either. Shocked though she was, she soon reached the conclusion that their alien nature could be used to our advantage.

We decided, after much debate, that the big staking would take place tomorrow; I refused to put more lives at risk by waiting too long. Bliss and Jewel had a curfew and were forced to leave at dusk, but Briana insisted on staying.

"Alright, I've played along with you long enough. I want proof that there's really a vampire." We had climbed into the strong arms of the tree and sat facing each other. Her sudden demand startled me and I frowned, absentmindedly flicking little swatches of bark to the ground.

"What do you mean? He _told_ me plainly that he is a vampire. What proof do you need other than that?"

She gave me a look. "Sorry, but I wasn't there. I can't just take your word for it." Her eyes flickered over my shoulder toward Jerry's house. "I want to meet this neighbor of yours. I need to see his teeth or feeding with my own eyes. If you can't show me definite proof, then I refuse to waste any more time here." Was she out of her mind? Furious, I hocked a piece of bark at her.

"You must realize how absurd that is! How am I supposed to get you what you want—_ask _him? Break into his house?"

Her eyes, brown and glimmering, lit up at my suggestion. "That's it! If we break in, I can see him for myself!"

"That is the worst idea I have _ever _heard," I snapped. "Nobody who goes into his house comes out alive—not even him!" But Briana had already jumped from her perch to the ground. She scooped her backpack onto one shoulder, and looked up at me expectantly. I shook my head as forcibly as I possibly could.

She sniffed. "Fine, stay here. I'll go by myself! I'm armed."

"Briana, no! How stupid can one person _get?_" I climbed down and stormed after her as she marched confidently toward Jerry's house. Before I had another chance to reprimand her folly, she'd picked the lock and pushed open the side door. The two of us slid inside. "You know," I growled, "If this goes south—or should I say _when _this goes south—we're going to die."

"It won't go south. It'll give me crucial information that we'll need if we're going to win this battle."

"That's bullshit and you know it!" But even as I uttered the words, I followed her deeper into the murky abode. Briana tiptoed confidently ahead of me, poking her head into each room we came across. Each was empty. Just when I was considering dragging her out of there myself, I heard a voice. It was almost impossibly soft, but from the look on her face I knew Bri had heard it too. She turned a corner and inclined her head down the long hallway beyond. I stood frozen for a minute, listening. There it was again: coming from a door on the left that was slightly ajar.

Together we hurried to the door, hardly daring to breathe as we peeked inside. Jerry was the first thing I saw; most fortunately he happened to have his back to us. But it wasn't his voice I'd been hearing…so whose was it?

The vampire moved suddenly to the side, and none other than my neighbor Fallon came into view. It was _her_ voice that had led us here. She was staring defiantly up at him. One needn't have heard a word of conversation to gather that they were in some kind of argument (and a mighty intense one, too). "You said you knew where my brother was! You said you'd take me to him. Well, there's just us here now, so where _is_ he?" She stomped a little foot in frustration.

Jerry was as calm and cool as ever. "He is here; I've told you that already."

"Then why won't you let me see him? Either let me see him, or let me go!" She had reached the end of her rope. I couldn't guess how long he'd stalled, keeping her with him in that tiny room, but she could stand it no longer. Without warning Fallon made a rush for the door! He caught her in an instant, before she'd taken three steps, and threw her roughly to the ground. She tried desperately to back away, but he grabbed her ankles and pulled her closer. "What—What are you doing?"

She struggled valiantly but he just held her tighter. Though the girl screamed her loudest and fought her hardest and begged most pleadingly for answers, Jerry didn't say another word to her. With incredible ease, as though she was making no move against him at all, her forced her head to the side and smoothed her flaxen hair away from her neck.

How painful it was to witness all this! I wanted so badly to help Fallon…but what good would Briana and I be against a man like Jerry? We'd only make things worse! He now held her at such an angle that she could see out the door. Her eyes widened as they lit upon…_me. _Our gazes locked for a second, hers wild with terror and mine brimming with pain. It seemed to take her a minute to recognize me in her panicked state. That was the worst part—when she did recognize me—because a silent plea spilled across her face: _help me. _My agony reached its climax as I shook my head.

Poor Fallon was appalled! Involuntarily she let out a small whimper; this, out of everything she'd been doing, was what Jerry acknowledged. I held my breath, fearful that he would look where she was looking and discover us. But he never once glanced our way; all his attention was on Fallon for the moment.

"Shh, little one." He bent his face to her neck as if to engulf him in her scent. His fangs gleamed like ivory daggers against her pale skin. Briana, obviously less emotionally compromised than I was, leaned over my shoulder to get a better look. All at once, like he couldn't hold back a second longer, Jerry bit her—hard. She sobbed quietly as he drank. My stomach twisted as blood oozed from her wound and dripped slowly to the floor….

"It's rude to watch people while they eat, you know." Bri and I whipped around in unison, both frightened beyond words by the new voice. Behind us stood a boy who, though he was enveloped in shadow, looked vaguely familiar. I elbowed the vampire slayer furiously.

"Get a stake out or something! We're fucking _sitting ducks!" _

She made a face at me. "I told you I'm prepared, Cam. Don't freak out." _Don't freak out?_ She couldn't be serious!

"Besides," the stranger interrupted, slithering into view, "Do you think I would hurt you, Cam?"

"Stone? Oh my God…Stone!" I rushed forward and threw both arms around him, hugging him as tightly as I could. He appeared surprised by my friendliness, but recovered quickly, reciprocating the hug. "I was so worried about you," I murmured, pulling back to get a better look at him. "I kept calling but you would never answer…I thought you were dead…"

He raised his eyebrows. "Really? I thought you didn't care."

I flinched as though I'd been hit. "Of course I care! I might not've believed you about all this crazy stuff at the time, but I never stopped caring…"

"I know. It's okay." I felt a strong hand behind my head gently pushing me in so there was almost no distance between us. "I've really been missing you."

"Mmm." I snuggled into him.

"Um, Camille." Briana tapped my shoulder, looking extremely uneasy. "I'm sorry to break up the reunion, but we should really get out of here…"

"Right! Of course." I tried to pull away from Stone, but he wouldn't let me go. In fact he only squeezed me tighter, so tightly that I could barely breathe. "Stone, let me go!" He completely ignored me! Something was most definitely wrong. As I fought against him, he buried his face in my neck, inhaling deeply. "Wow. You _do_ smell good—unbelievable. The Boss was right."

Boss? Oh _shit._ "Bri!" I screamed, Now would be a _really_ good time to show me how prepared you are!" Something whizzed past my ear before I'd finished my sentence. I didn't know what it was, but suddenly Stone released me, screeching like…well, like a vampire. I turned to see Briana fastening a bow in her hair. Her bows! They were _darts! _She winked at me.

"I got you covered." Without another word she bolted for the door. I tried to follow, but cried out as something like iron clamped around my wrist. I whirled back in time to see Stone rip a dart (decorated with a little blue bow) out of his forehead, causing blood to gush forth.

"Camille, don't run." He flicked the blood from his eyes, then wrapped his dripping hand around my arm. "Let me turn you! We can be together forever." Before I could respond another dart hit his hand. I was grabbed again—this time by Briana—and we bolted back to my house like all hell was after us!

We rested beneath the Mulberry for a minute, both out of breath. Bri pinned yet another dart/bow in her hair. Then she promptly announced that she was leaving. "I'll be back, though," she called as she revved her Mustang's engine. "I believe you now."

I rushed into my house without looking back and proceeded to hang a cross on every door and window we had. I even put one near the fireplace, just in case. Only then did I feel secure enough to lie down. But all I could think of, even in my dreams, was the last thing Stone had said to me. "We can be together forever."

Stone's POV

The wound on his forehead had almost completely healed. Stone was dabbing off the last of the blood with a damp cloth, observing the small golden-haired girl (what was her name? Fallon?) as she writhed on the ground. Vampire venom was excruciatingly painful. Jerry stood over her, arms folded, his burning eyes fixed on Stone. "You gonna tell me how they managed to get away?"

He winced at his master's vicious tone. "They surprised me. I've never dealt with a human that fought back before! And it was Cam—"

"I _know_ who it was. A scent like hers lingers."

Thinking of her made Stone's fangs ache with thirst. He couldn't remember the last time he'd fed. Jerry kept a very strict watch on who, how, and when his minions fed. "Master…" Stone hesitated. "I haven't fed in days. If it isn't too much to ask, could I-"

"No!" The older vampire snarled immediately. "You may only feed when you've earned it. Don't fail me again, Stone. A little thirst won't kill you." With those last scathing words, Jerry was gone.

Stone stood still for a while, thinking. Jerry was right: he only deserved to feed if he earned the privilege. But how soon would he get another opportunity to prove himself? And how was he supposed to keep his strength up for that moment, without feeding? He cast his eyes down. Fallon lay there, shaking, helpless. Stone knew that Jerry planned to turn her eventually. So it wouldn't matter if he drank from her, then. Just a little bit—just enough to quench his thirst.

He knelt beside her, lifted her head into his lap, and fitted his fangs into the holes Jerry's larger ones had made earlier. Oh, yes…he closed his eyes as the burning in his throat was finally soothed. The sweet, warm liquid overwhelmed his senses. Her skin was softer than silk against his lips. Stone found it fascinating, how heavenly being a creature of hell could be.

Yes! Another chapter finished, and I'm lovin' it! The thrills are just gonna keep comin', guys! Keep reading!


	10. Chapter 10

Hello everyone! Guess who?

It's me. The correct answer is me. Anyway! Christmas has just passed and with the New Year fast approaching, I've made it my goal to finish this thing before the year is out! So here ya go!

Chapter 10

"Are we really going to do this?" Bliss questioned, watching somewhat skeptically as Brii sharpened a stake. We had locked ourselves in a guest room in my basement so we could prepare unbothered. Today was the day.

"Yes." I was polishing the crucifix I wore around my neck. "You said it yourself, Bliss: we have no other choice."

"Besides, you and I don't have anything to worry about," said Jewel, giving Bliss an extremely hearty pat on the back. "You have wires instead of veins—no blood—and vampires abhor the smell of werewolves."

"It's not that I'm scared…it's just that this whole thing seems highly illogical."

I groaned. Stupid androids with their stupid obsession with logic…

"That's the last one!" Brii finished sharpening her stake and held it up to us like it was a prize-winning showdog or something. "We are fully in business, ladies!"

"Great!" I strode towards the door, walking abnormally fast in an attempt to hide my own fear. "Let's go while the sun's still—" I trailed off as a very faint scratching noise reached my ears. None of my friends was doing anything that would produce a sound like that. "Y-You hear that?" Everyone gave an affirming nod. This odd noise seemed to be coming from below us, and it was getting louder and more frantic by the second….then, just as suddenly as it had begun—it stopped.

The four of us shared quizzical expressions. Had I been imagining things? Had we _all _been imagining things? Bliss was the first to conclude that this must be the case, after several uneventful minutes passed. We all made for the door. That was when my carpet started to move. The floor could almost be said to be…_jumping, _as though something had crawled all the way underneath my house and was trying to get in through the floor! It couldn't be Jerry's vampires….could it? Thinking on how my various crosses protected every other conventional way to enter the house, I realized that was exactly what was happening.

All at once, the carpet tore! Dirt and splinters sprayed in the air. Through the newly-made hole came a claw—then another, then another—until an entire crooked hand was reaching toward us out of the ground! "HOLY! SHIT!" One need not imagine how the four of us were screaming by now. This event was, after all, absolutely scream-worthy.

"What _is _that?" Jewel screeched, her sky-blue eyes bugging out. I hustled my friends up the stairs to the landing, nearly tripping in my own panic.

"it's a fucked-up vampire hand, that's what it is!" I answered as we stumbled out the door, nearly on top of one another. "Jerry must've found out about our plan, and sent his minions under my house to get us!"

Bliss froze. "But…he keeps his minions inside most of the time. Therefore he couldn't have sent spies—so how could he have known about our plan?"

"Never mind that! What do we do _now?" _Brii interrupted with a shriek, bolting outside. I thought as we all followed her.

"Your car, Brii! We need to leave my parents here; it's me Jerry wants. Girls, get in and let's drive!" They did so and in minutes we were speeding away. It didn't take long, however, for someone to pop that inevitable question: "Where are we going?"

"A club," Brii suggested immediately.

I gave her the most scathing look I think I've ever given anyone. "Um, NO. That's, like, the worst place to hide from a vampire _ever." _Bliss was quick to throw in the idea of a mall before an argument could start. Everyone seemed to agree with that, so we floored it to the nearest mall. I could've sworn I saw a black pick-up truck pull into the parking lot as the four of us scurried through the mall's set of automatic doors…but it was probably just my own paranoia catching up to me….

We raced from one end of a Macy's to the other, past dozens of clothing and beauty stores, until at last we reached the mall's main square. It was only then, when I stopped to catch my breath, that I realized someone was missing. "Oh no…where is Brianna?"

Bliss jerked her head back at the way we'd come. "I think we lost her near that Christian store we passed a while ago…"

"I'll go after her," Jewel volunteered. "Since I'm a werewolf I have the best nose, so it should be easy to find her and then get back to you." I nodded in reluctant assent. She loped away, and just like that our group had become half of what it first was. Bliss and I began walking once more, aware that staying together was more important than anything else right now. We were able to go some distance without complication; our eyes were peeled for any sign of vampires but we saw none.

A few minutes after we'd passed the food court, however, I noticed something that stopped me cold. Huddled on a bench a couple feet away was a young boy—probably around twelve or thirteen years old. He was facing away from us, but from the way his shoulders were shaking I could tell he was crying. The poor kid was probably lost…

Signaling Bliss to stay back, I went up to him and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?" He turned to look at me. I jerked my hand back, unable to hold in a gasp of horror. It was Harlan! He snickered as he stood up, smiling wide enough to exhibit a pair of glistening fangs. "B-Bliss—" I reached for her, nearly tripping over my own feet in my haste to get away. "We have to run…"

"Sorry, do you have a minute?" Together Bliss and I whipped around. Behind us stood Fallon, sporting a grin identical to her brother's! Surely Bliss and I were finished now! Or maybe not—as I took another step back I felt a stake move in my pocket.

"Fallon, come on…you and I were always on good terms. Why don't you let us go?"

"Let you go?" She scoffed, incredulous. "You let him get to me, Camille. You let him turn me into this!"

"I'm sorry about that. There was nothing I could do," I murmured, not bothering to hold back the bitter regret that tainted my words. But now there was no turning back. I slipped my hand into my pocket, wrapping shaking fingers around the stake…

"You're so selfish, dragging you friends into this," Harlan snarled. "All you care about is yourself."

His words hit me right at the core, but I tried not to show it. '_Aim for the heart. Aim for the heart…' _In perfect sync, the brother and sister lunged. I reacted on instinct—and plunged the stake deep into Harlan's chest! Blood spurted from the wound, coating my arm all the way up to the shoulder. Fallon screamed as Harlan burst into flames with an agonized howl! And then he was gone; there were only traces of ash left in his place. With a screech of indescribable fury, Fallon pounced upon Bliss. She was a whirlwind of teeth and claws against the stunned android. I rushed to help her, but she frantically shook her head.

"Go, Cam! I-I can handle this…"

I stood frozen, staring as Fallon dove again and again for my friend's throat. "But Bliss-"

"No! You're the one he wants. GO!"

I sprinted away, though not without casting several desperate glances back. The vampires were here! They'd found us in the biggest mall in town! How had we _not _escaped? It was clear now that I never should've involved my friends in any of this. But now I was alone—and I had nowhere to hide! At least, I didn't, until a pulsing neon Red Robin sign caught my eye. Perhaps the smell of food would disguise my own scent…

I dashed into the restaurant. I was immediately met with a waitress who looked to be several years my senior. "Table for one?" I thought for a second.

"Miss, what I really need is a HIDING SPOT for one. Can you give me that?" I explained that I was on the run from some very bad people (neglecting to mention that they were vampires), and begged to go hide in the broom closet. Or better yet, the dumpster…they'd never pick my scent out of all the rubbish there…

She was kind enough, though, to stick me in the back with the dish boys instead of in a dumpster. I lavished her with thanks and went straight to work. Things went swimmingly for several hours, and as time went on my anxiety over being caught began to fade. At around ten o'clock, the waitress (Emily, her nametag told my now less-frightened eyes) informed me that they were closing. One or two straggling patrons still remained in the restaurant. Seeing so few people around brought all my uneasiness back to the surface, but none of them looked to be vampiric. It seemed that I was going to make it out of this place alive…

Emily's voice drifted over to me as I scrubbed all the remnants of dishwashing from my clothes; she was offering assistance to a patron who apparently wasn't aware of their closing time. A man's voice—vaguely familiar, though from such a distance I couldn't be sure—politely declined her offer. "I'm aware of your hours, darling. I'm not hungry—not for food, at least. I'm looking for my girlfriend, actually. Have you seen her?"

Emily's response was to quiet for me to hear. However, I soon heard the man's voice again: "I have checked the jewelry store, actually. I've checked every store in this Goddamn mall! And I'm pretty damn sure she's here." He sounded _pissed! _I held my breath as he paused. It couldn't be… "Did she ask you to hide her? To say she wasn't here?"

This time I heard Emily, her voice high and stuttering. "Wh-What? What do you mean?"

He chuckled softly. "See, we're playing a sort of game. She's been hiding from me all day. I've been seeking. But it's been a long day…and I'm through with playing." I shivered as his voice darkened with notes of menace. For a moment, both he and Emily were silent…

Then she laughed brightly. "Oh, I get it! So this whole thing is a joke! I'll bring her right out, Mister!" It was _him! _My heart fluttered as I heard her footsteps, growing louder as they approached me. Was there no other way out of this place? I searched wildly for a window, a door, a dumbwaiter—anything! But the only entrance or exit to the dish-room was the one Emily had just walked through. "Hey, you didn't tell me this was all a game," She accused, tugging on the sleeve of my button-up. "Why would you want to hide from your boyfriend anyway? I mean he is HOT. You are one lucky girl!"

"It-It's not joke!" I exclaimed, pulling against her as hard as I could. But she was having none of it…and there was really nowhere else for me to go…."Please, Emily, I have to get out of here!" Emily's strength eventually won out over mine, and she pushed me into the main dining room with one last mighty shove.

And there was Jerry, in a black business shirt and dark grey jeans. Waiting for me… "Hey, Babe." He pulled me into his arms with a speed that could only be described as supernatural; I barely had time to catch my breath before I was wrapped in his arms. "I've been looking all over for you, you know." Then he leaned down and whispered just to me, "You should've known better than to run from me." _He had me…_I couldn't suppress a shiver.

Emily gave a delighted squeal from behind me. "Oh em gee, you guys are so cute!" Cute? A thirty-something man and a seventeen-year-old girl? I was about to protest, but once more Jerry was one step ahead of me. He yanked me roughly out the door before either Emily or I could say another word. '_No,' _I thought as was burst out into the crisp night air. It couldn't end like this…could it? Jerry's followers were waiting as we exited the mall: Stone, Conner, Fallon's other brother Austin…and…Fallon herself? But she'd been fighting Bliss…and it did show. Fallon was limping slightly, bloody and bruised. But she was here! She sneered when she noticed me eyeing her.

"Oh, you can bet I took care of your robot friend, Cam. She won't be bothering anyone again."

"Bliss! What did you do to her?" I blurted, my voice breaking at the sound of her name. I fought against Jerry's grip—much harder than I'd fought anything before. What if Bliss was dead? What if they'd gotten Jewel and Brii too? The thought made my movement even more frantic. Unfortunately, it didn't make htem any stronger; they were only fueled by emotion after all. "Let me go!" I screamed at my foes until my throat hurt. "My friends were innocent; they did nothing to you! Let me go, or I swear to G—" I broke off as Jerry slammed me into the wall, fed up with my resistance. Or my existence. Or, more likely, both…

"God, I never thought you'd be such a pain." As if his first action wasn't enough, he backhanded me! The force of the blow nearly made me lose consciousness right there. "You had better be worth it."

"She is. I promise." Stone stepped up to Jerry's side, eyeing me with…well, I might've called it sympathy if it hadn't been in Stone's eyes. "She's just afraid. Afraid beyond reason, like I was before you turned me. Just show her what she's missing." Missing? What could I possibly be missing?

"Blood," Jerry purred as though he could hear exactly what I was thinking, "That's what you're missing. Would you like ot try it, Princess?"

Blood? Dear God! I shook my head weakly, pressing myself into the wall. Perhaps, if I just pressed hard enough, I could get away…such wishful thinking. What point was there in fighting anymore anyway? I watched in numb horror as Jerry pricked his own finger (his nails had grown into vicious claws again), and offered me his blood. On instinct I shied away. He just smiled softly, like he'd expected this, and smeared the crimson liquid over his lips. And then—he kissed me.


	11. Chapter 11

Okay, quick warning: this chapter is the main reason this piece is rated M. Feel free to skip it, just know that in this one Camille gets turned into a vampire. This is Jerry's revenge upon her and it's definitely not flowery. (From Jerry's POV)

Chapter 11

Naturally, she resisted him at first. But vampire blood is like a drug: it blurs all thoughts and inhibitions and replaces them with feeling. She began to weaken as he forced his tongue into her mouth.

He pulled away after a minute, relishing in the way their lips stuck together. He tilted her face upward, observing her carefully. Her breathing was fast and shallow; her lips, normally a healthy shade of pink, were stained a gory red. But the best part was her eyes. They were glazed and slightly unfocused as she looked at him. She seemed…_awed _by his very presence! As she should be. Finally, it was clear just how much she really wanted him!

"Atta girl," he whispered, just to see how his voice would affect her. "Surrender feels good, doesn't it."

"Master," Stone said, with more than a touch of jealousy. "You have her. We should go. Don't…don't do anything to her…"

Jerry didn't even bother to look at him. "Why not, Stone? Don't pretend that _you _know what she wants! She hates you. But me? She _adores _me. Look at those eyes—she's practically begging me to take her…_aren't you." _He wove his fingers through her hair on either side of her head—feigning gentleness for just a moment—then tugged sharply, yanking her little face closer to his own. She let out a small gasp of pain, and he smirked. "Isn't that what you want, Cam? For me to fuck the _life _out of you, right here, for everyone to see. Would you like that?"

"Stop it!" Stone shoved the two of them apart. "This wasn't part of the plan! I'll just turn her myself, if I—" Before he could say anymore, his master attacked. It was ugly, violent, awful—and over in a matter of seconds. Camille stared blankly at Stone's now-unconscious form until Jerry's cold fingers wrapped around her neck. Her attention was on him in an instant.

He placed the softest of kisses on her forehead. "Don't ever disobey me, Camille. It won't end well for you." And he led her away.

It didn't take long to reach his house—ten, fifteen minutes at most. But it felt like hours because he had business (or rather, Camille) to attend to. He practically threw her into his bedroom, leaving his minions to kill the truck.

Her mind appeared to be clearing a bit—but only a bit. Her heartbeat quickened as he locked the bedroom door. "You…you…what did you do to me? What are you _going _to do to me?"

"Camille," He crooned, reaching out to brush a hand down her cheek. "I've waited such a long time to get my hands on you! I'm going to give you everything you've earned from being such a nosy little brat these past few months…and not all of it will be pleasant for you." Jerry began to unbutton his shirt—very slowly, just to tease her. Her scent had become a strange mixture of fear and lust—as enticing as it was unusual.

Only when he was fully undressed did she seem to realize the full gravity of her situation; panic flared in her eyes. "J-Jerry…" She breathed, trying so hard to keep her eyes upon his face.

"Yes? Something _wrong, _Beautiful?"

Camille visibly flinched at the word 'beautiful.' "Yes, there's something wrong! You kidnapped me, and you drugged me, and you hurt my friends! You're acting like…like I belong to you or something…"

Jerry responded instinctively, shoving her roughly to the floor. She landed with a startled 'oof' on a throw rug adorned with his species' coat-of-arms. "Newsflash, Sweet Cheeks: you _do _belong to me. And I can guarantee that no one in this world wants you as much as I do."

He knelt down beside her and snatched at the collar of her shirt, ripping it off of her so that the buttons popped off and bounced away in every direction. She crossed her arms over her chest, flushing pink with shame. "Jer, stop it! Let me go!"

"Let. You. Go?" Jerry rolled his eyes. "I'd just shut your mouth if I were you. You'll regret being so smart with me soon enough." Her jeans proved more difficult to dispose of (girl's clothing was much more durable than it looked), but with those went the last of her will to fight. Her scent sweetened with a tinge of despair, and Jerry couldn't help but smile. He flipped her onto her back and pinned her hands on either side of her head. "God, you have no idea how tantalizing you are, Camille. I'm going to consume you…rip you little body apart…"

She whimpered and tried to turn her face away. That hardly fazed him. He thrust into her without another word. The poor thing cried out (it was only natural), but he silenced her immediately with a hungry kiss. It felt _so good _to take her! Finally!

Finally. He squeezed her wrists hard; much too hard, he knew, just so she would cry. And she did, though she tried to fight it. It made his finish (several minutes later) all the more glorious. Jerry released her and was delighted to see an immediate bruising where he'd held her. "Do you know why you're here, Cam Sweetie? Do you know what my taking you means?"

"You…you win," She said with a crushed sigh.

He sneered, and ever-so-gently kissed her cheek. "That's right, Princess. _I win!" _Then he moved his lips to her neck—and bit her. His teeth cut easily through skin softer than butter; her blood was sweeter than sugar and he relished every sip he took. When at last Jerry pulled away, he marveled at how pale she'd become! She looked like a dream.

"I told you that you belonged to me, Camille. You did from the moment we met. By tomorrow night, you'll have turned fully. Can you feel it?" She was, at this point, too weak to respond, so he just kissed her one last time. "I'll be there when you open your eyes, Darling. You _were _worth it, you know. Stone was right."


	12. Chapter 12

Alriiiiiiiiiiiiggghhhhhht! We are making headway, ladies and gents! Thank you to all who have reviewed, followed, and favorited so far. You are the best! Anyway. We're tuning back in to Jewel and Brianna, who were last seen at the mall. What happened to them? Well, I'm about to tell you.

Chapter 12

Jewel and Brianna were two of only three people at Lifepath Christian. The third was the poor clerk, who had been suckered into blessing every single one of Brii's stakes. It had indeed been easy to _find _Brii; the problem was getting her to leave the damn store. Jewel had been trying for at least an hour already!

Jewel thought the blessing of weapons was absurd anyway—why get something blessed if you were just going to stab someone with it? She paced anxiously just inside the store's entrance, waiting as (finally) the vampire killer began packing up her newly-blessed stakes. "Are you satisfied _now, _Brianna?"

"Mostly," Brii said with a snobbish turn of her nose. She flounced confidently out of the store, bow-adorned head held high. Jewel had no choice but to follow. The two searched high and low for their friends. But though she did pick up their scent occasionally, Jewel could find no trace of Bliss or Cam. At least three fruitless hours passed, until a voice over a loudspeaker announced that the mall was closing. Thoroughly disheartened, the two girls plopped down on a bench outside a Red Robin. Brii huffed. "So…what exactly are we supposed to do now?"

"I don't know," Jewel snapped, turning to glare at her. "Maybe if you hadn't run off and made a _huge _deal about blessing all of your stupid—"

"Don't you _dare _blame me!" Brii shot like a rocket from the bench, clenching both hands into fists. "I had to get everything blessed so that—"

"So that _what? _So that Jerry could get to my friends and you could scurry back home where you'd be all nice and safe?" Brii looked away, her eyes dark. Jewel's words had apparently hit a nerve. "What a fake you are." Jewel turned her eyes to the ground, scuffing her sneakers against the hard floor. "If you were to get away and we were to die, do you think you could just get us all out of your head and go back to your normal life?"

"It's not my plan to run," Brianna snapped.

Jewel blinked. What _was _the plan, then? She was about to ask, but at that moment she noticed a young woman emerge from the Red Robin. Jewel hurried to meet the girl as she came towards them. "Excuse me, I was wondering if you've seen a friend of ours? She's got red hair, blue eyes, and really pale skin?"

The girl's eyes lit up at the description. "Oh, her! She came here…maybe an hour or so ago. She left with her boyfriend."

Jewel's stomach gave a sudden, dreadful twist. "Uhhh….boyfriend? What did _he _look like?"

"Oh, tall, dark, and handsome!" She replied with a thrilled squeal. "He seemed to be in his thirties, but they were just so _good _together!" Her brow furrowed as she took in Jewel's black expression. "Wait…was that guy…_not _her boyfriend?"

Jewel pinched her nose in exasperation. "No. No, he wasn't. But at least now we know where she is…so thanks, I guess." With that she and Brianna dashed away. They burst out of the mall, tore through the parking lot, and were soon burning rubber in the neon-yellow Mustang. Jewel knew where they had to go now: the place where she least wanted to go. The place where it all began. Jerry's house.


	13. Chapter 13

Woooo….Lucky chapter thirteen, everybody! I'm on a roll here, if I do say so myself. And I do. (Stone's POV!)

Chapter 13

Stone stood at the foot of his Master's bed, staring at Camille's unconscious form. He hadn't seen her since early last night—Jerry had insisted on being alone with her. Now she lay limp and lifeless on the bed, his little ruby fang marks contrasting beautifully against the snowy skin of her neck. She was going to be a vampire! Stone was thrilled, and had been waiting for hours for her to wake up.

Camille did so with a gasp, her eyes popping open like springs. She lay still, chest heaving, gazing in a dazed stupor around the dark room. Stone padded up to her and gently brushed a finger along her cheek. She jumped, then—with some difficulty—focused on him. "Stone?"

"Hey." He gave her a reassuring smile (though it would've been impossible for him not to smile at her anyway). "How do you feel?" She sat up slowly, her arms shaking, a frown contouring her gorgeous face.

"Different. Stronger. I can see and hear so much…everything feels so much more intense…what happened to me?" Her eyes widened in sudden panic.

"You're a vampire now." She made a shocked little sound, somewhere between a gasp and a whimper. Stone knelt on the edge of the bed and pulled her carefully into his arms. "Shh, it's okay. We can be together now. It's okay." Camille hugged him back weakly, shivering. He was well aware that it would take some time before she got used to her new life (death?).

Suddenly she stiffened against him. "Baby, what's wrong?" Stone pulled away to get a look at her face, only to see that she was staring at something over his shoulder. Stone whipped around to see that Jerry had entered the room, silent as the grave like he always was. And even more menacing than usual…Amanda shrank back in a submissive sort of way as he approached. Stone was tempted to do the same as Jerry's contemptuous glare flickered over him…

"You don't have permission to be in here."

Stone winced. "I-I know, I'm sorry…I just had to see her…"

"Well…I can't blame you. I love it when they first open their eyes." Jerry lifted her chin to get a better look at her face (her eyes were no longer blue, but an unsettling cranberry-red) and smiled crookedly. "She's so beautiful like this. Perfect." Stone, of course, agreed completely. What he did _not _agree with was his Master shoving him rudely out of the way and taking his place on the bed.

"Her friends are going to come for her, you know. We need to prepare." Stone longed to just tell Jerry off and make him leave, but to do such a thing would be beyond foolish. He thought a round-about attempt at this goal was a much better approach.

Jerry, however, knew exactly what Stone was aiming for. "Why don't you go do that, then." He never took his eyes off Camille. Stone made for the door against his own will—there was no arguing with the Master, after all. He turned back at once, though, as another thought occurred to him.

"She hasn't fed yet. She's probably really th—"

"I can fix that," Jerry snapped, shooting Stone a threatening glare. His gaze softened as he leaned closer to Camille. "Are you thirsty, Princess? You'd better drink up, because your friends will be here soon and I'm going to need you to kill them for me."

Stone made a face as Jerry slit open the skin of his own throat—just above his collarbone—and a tiny stream of blood began to trickle out. Cam unable to control the thirst of a Newborn, was upon the wound in an instant. "You know, _Master, _sometimes I think you only keep me around so you can rub it in my face that she likes you more."

"Very intuitive. Now _get. Out." _Jerry leaned back casually, stroking Cam's hair with one hand. "Nothing can take her from me now."


	14. Chapter 14

Ahem: I have an announcement. LASSSSST CHAPTERRRRRRRRR! Thank you to those who have been here for the whole ride! I love you! Stay tuned for more fanfics!

~Chapter 14~

Two girls stood outside a house with blacked-out windows. One had dark brown hair; the other black. Both wore crosses and were armed to the teeth with assorted weapons. And both were very scared.

Jewel watched as the sun crawled its way over the horizon, bathing her and Brii in soft golden light. It was time. Briana was the first to speak. "Are you ready?"

Jewel wrapped her fingers tight around her cross. She took a deep breath. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Okay, then. Let's go." Brii started for the side door, but Jewel put out a hand to stop her. Brii looked at her questioningly.

"We're not going in that way," Jewel declared. "No more sneaking. No more hiding. No more fear! We're going in right through the monster's front door—and we are _not _gonna knock." With those brave words, she marched right up to the front stoop. With emotion- (and werewolf?) –fueled strength she didn't even know she had, Jewel kicked open the door! She and Brianna rushed inside. They didn't care how much noise they made—the bloodsuckers probably already knew they'd been coming anyway. Jewel went to the nearest window and ripped the construction paper away. Sunlight burst into the long-darkened nest. Glorious, life-giving, vamp-killing sunlight!

Brianna followed Jewel's lead until every window on the main floor was uncovered. That proved to be the easy part; the enemies must all be waiting downstairs. The duo crept down the steps with the most cautious movements they could manage, wary of any vampires that might be near. They reached the basement—dim, musty, and smelling strongly of earth—without incident.

Brii turned to Jewel, her eyes wide. There was a gleam in those eyes that Jewel couldn't quite read… "Where are they? Are they all asleep?"

"Oh, no. They're here." Jewel nodded toward a large outcropping of shadow that was much darker and thicker than the rest. She raised a stake, trying her hardest to keep her hand form shaking. "Come on out, leeches. There's no need for anyone to hide anymore." Slowly, in ones and two and threes, a small army of vampires emerged from the darkness. Stone was in the lead. He narrowed his gleaming crimson eyes.

"You're just in time, girls. We're starved."

Brii gulped loudly. She appeared to be losing courage fast…Jewel put an encouraging hand on her shoulder and did her best to put on a brave face of her own. "We just want Cam back, Stone. That's all."

Stone smirked. "I think that can be arranged. We'd all be more than happy to turn you." He glanced back at his army with a casual smile. "Who wants to do the honors?" Before the last words were out of his mouth, at least ten vampires separated from the crowd and lunged at them!

Jewel reacted instantly, stabbing left and right as quickly as she could. She would often use the same stake for several different kills; her aim grew better with each vampire she took out. She was doing quite well, but for every foe she slew, another took its place. Jewel was beginning to get desperate when she realized that Brianna was not fighting….nor were the vampires attacking her. She turned to Brii in shock. "B-Brianna? What's going on here?"

Brii lifted her chin, her entire face consumed with a cruel expression. "I'm sorry to do this to you, Jewel. I was the one who told them about our plan. I _was _just trying to distract you when I got all my stakes blessed at the mall. And I'm the one who's turning you over to them now. Because they promised me immortality if I gave them what they wanted—and they promised to leave my family alone."

Jewel stood frozen to the spot, no longer aware of the vampires who still swarmed around her, waiting to resume the assault as Brianna explained. "B-But….we were your friends! You said you were a vampire SLAYER! The four of us have been through so much, and now you betray us?"

Brii refused to meet her eyes. "I advertised that I was a vampire slayer, sure. But I never actually _believed _in vampires—until I saw Jerry. I knew it was hopeless to fight from the moment I saw what he did to Fallon. So, to protect my family, I switched sides. He really only wanted Camille anyway."

"So I assume these bloodsuckers are holding off so _you _can finish me?" Jewel growled, using anger as a way to hide the sorrow that now threatened to crush her.

Brianna nodded matter-of-factly. "Fallon, get over here! You said you wanted to help."

Jewel stumbled back as the two girls began to advance upon her—but she had only gone three steps when several of Jerry's minions forced her to stop. She struggled, her heart beating all the way up in her throat so that she couldn't breathe. What was she to do now? All the struggling in the world proved no good as Fallon squeezed iron fingers around her throat….

Suddenly, with an almighty screech that was loud enough to wake the dead (undead?), the vampiress burst into flames! At once Jess broke free and leaped upon Brianna! She didn't even care what had killed Fallon. She and Brii rolled across the silty basement as they fought, and at once they were thronged by a horde of leeches eager to get in on the action. There were just too many! With Brianna trying to stab her with a hairbow and powerful jaws snapping inches from her face, Jess knew she was done for. Or was she? From the opposite end of the room came furious caterwauls and hisses. There was someone else fighting too!

Jess finished Brii off quickly, them wrestled herself away from a (very literally) bloodthirsty mob. She knew what she had to do. The only way to get rid of so many foes…was to let the light in. She snatched up Brii's crossbow, which had been abandoned during their tussle, and aimed it at the floor above their heads.

_Bang! Bang! Bang! _The floorboards shattered like bubbles, and sunshine poured in from the upper floor. Jewel scrambled into a patch of sunlight as vampires rushed to kill her. Seconds later someone else joined her. Her mouth dropped open in awe. "Bliss? _You've _been helping me fight these demons off the whole time? But…I thought you were dead!"

Bliss gave her a knowing smile. "So did Fallon. Nice job with the sunlight, by the way. They can't touch us here."

"No…not until night falls, anyway." Jewel couldn't suppress a shiver as Jerry stepped over his minions to the shaft of light that shielded them. "But that's only a few hours away—and we can wait. Vampires are _masters _at waiting. For instance, I waited so long for someone…special to come into my life. I finally found her—living just thirteen feet away from me."

"Shut _up!" _Jewel screamed. "How dare you prey upon her like that! How dare you take her away from us! You…you're a…a…." She trailed off, grief taking her words before she could say any more.

"A monster? Is that what you were going to say?" Jerry laughed. It wasn't one of his usual laughs, either—it was a full-on, evil, madly gleeful, bad-guy-about-to-mop-the-floor-with-the-good-guys laugh. He paced easily around the shaft of sunlight, grinning from ear to ear. "You're right, of course. I _am _a monster—and I enjoy every second of it. But that's enough about me. You came here for Camille! You must miss her so much…I'm sure she misses you too. Come here, princess." Camille melted out of the darkness to stand beside him. Her eyes were ruby red and the fangs poking above her lips were pearl white…but as she gazed up at Jerry, Jewel saw one familiar emotion: fear.

"Cam?" Bliss breathed, looking more horrified than Jewel had thought an android could look. "Are you okay? Do you know who we are?"

Camille blinked at her. "Of course I know who you are. An android who can't feel emotion or have true friends; and a filthy werewolf, the ultimate enemy of the vampire. Yes, I know very well who you are."

Jewel was now fighting even harder not to cry. "B-But we're your friends! We're your _best _friends, and we have been for years! A pair of fangs can't make you forget all that…can it?" Cam's eyes darkened with doubt.

"Cam, dearest, don't listen to them," Jerry purred, kissing her forehead lightly. "What did they ever to for you? Hm?" Camille stared dazed at her two friends until he gently turned her face back toward his own. "What have _I _done for you, Camille?"

"Everything," She breathed, and the word was immediately cut off as he pressed his mouth to hers.

That was Jewel's turning point. She was mad—mad at Jerry for moving here, mad at Brii for betraying them, mad at Cam for even getting them into this…and most of all, mad at the apparent hopelessness of her situation. She and Bliss had only to wait for certain death, and Jerry had the nerve to make love to their helpless friend right in front of them? There was only so much she could tolerate! "Bliss, listen up," She hissed. "I've got one more stake. When I count to five, you give these freaks all the hell you can give 'em!"

"What about you?" Bliss demanded.

Jewel glanced over to where her least-favorite vampire was biting at Cam's cheeks. "I'm going for Jerry."

Jewel actually heard it as one of Bliss's fuses blew. "Wh-What? You….you can't…can you?"

"The way I'm feeling right now, a thousand Jerry's couldn't stop me from saving my sisters!" Jewel threw an arm around Bliss, who returned the hug awkwardly. "You two are sisters to me, got it? Good. One….two…three…fourFIVE!"

They leaped into action! Jerry hissed as Jewel tackled him away from Camille. She groaned as his claws ripped down her cheek. He was so strong! So much more so than the others! Could she really do this?

Her eyes turned a feral gold as the wolf in her surfaced. She COULD do this. She had to. Jerry's arm snapped out and latched onto the stake in her hand, trying to pry it from her grip and leave her unarmed. They grappled briefly, Jerry's vampiric strength giving him the advantage, but Jewel had her own enhanced strength courtesy of her status as a werewolf. Plus she was angry. This oversized mosquito thought he could come into HER life and mess with HER pack. Well he had another think coming!

Jewel got in close – the type of close that would have meant being bitten for anyone other than a werewolf – and bit down with the strength of a wolf's jaws on Jerry's wrist, gagging on the taste of tainted blood as it filled her mouth. The bloodsucker hissed in pain and his grip on the wood slackened for a moment. But a moment was all Jewel needed.

With one last yell of effort, she twisted around, tearing the stake from Jerry's grip and plunged it

straight

into

his

heart.

There was an explosive burst of flame, followed by a ferocious howling wind. As one, Jerry's minions writhed and screeched in agony. Cam in particular seemed in excruciating pain. Jewel fought back panic. What was happening? Would they all die too, like their master?

Then, all at once, the wind stopped. Everything was still. Jewel dared not move. She was listening for anything…the slightest movement, the faintest breath…anything to tell her that she had not failed. At last she her a weak cough. "Ugh…Jewel? Is that you?" It was Camille's voice!

Jewel crawled over to her and wrapped her in a tight embrace. "Oh my God, Cam! You're alive! I mean…you are alive, aren't you?"

"I-I think so." Camille examined herself nervously. She might've kept going, but at that moment she noticed something more important. "Is that BLISS?"

The android hurried over to join them in their classic three-way hug. "I didn't think that a robot like me could feel love…but I was wrong. I love you guys. We did it!"

Their joy was interrupted by one more timid voice. "Um…can I see Cam, please?" Stone stumbled up to the group, once more his human self. Camille's eyes widened when she saw him. "Cam, I love you too. I should've told you how I felt a long time ago, but—" He broke off as she gave him a gentle kiss.

Jewel looked up at the sun, streaming even brighter into the house now than before, and couldn't suppress a smile. At last, at long last…all was well.

~End~


End file.
